This newspaper reported very well on the outstanding Rotary Club program presented by the young female guests of St. Mary’s College at our July 27 meeting.

I had the honor and the privilege to be there that day, and I learned a great deal about their countries and more importantly, I appreciated their humanity and genuine caring about their native lands.

One group who sat with these outstanding young women was another group of young ladies — five seniors-to-be from Brandywine Senior High School. Rotary President George Wehrle had a great idea: He asked me to invite some local high school girls to lunch that day to sit with the college women from Tunisia, Iraq, Jordan, and Egypt, and hear what they had to say.

What a great experience for our Brandywine girls.

I’ve often said that the most valuable lessons don’t always come from a book, lecture or even a class in school. To have lunch with someone from another culture, to sit with them, to talk and listen to them and even exchange selfies — I’m sure this is something they will remember forever.

It won’t show up on an SAT score, or a school transcript, or in any required state or federal report, but the learning that took place at that lunch meeting, for adults and high school and college students was indeed very valuable.

 

John Jarpe is the superintendent of Brandywine Community Schools. He can be reached at (269) 684- 7150.